Bill > HR3478

This bill amends existing federal criminal law to specifically limit penalties related to aircraft destruction and aircraft piracy to only involve manned aircraft, thereby excluding unmanned aircraft like drones from these criminal statutes. The bill modifies two key sections of U.S. Code: Section 32 of Title 18 and Section 46502(a)(1)(A) of Title 49. Specifically, the bill adds the word "manned" before references to aircraft in these sections, which narrows the scope of criminal penalties. By making this change, the legislation clarifies that criminal provisions around destroying or interfering with aircraft only apply to aircraft with human pilots or passengers, potentially creating a legal distinction for unmanned aerial vehicles. The bill appears designed to update existing law to account for technological advances in aviation, particularly the increasing prevalence of drone technology. The modifications ensure that criminal statutes originally written with traditional manned aircraft in mind are interpreted more precisely in the context of modern aviation technologies.

Justice, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3478/all-info